Methods and systems for advertising during video-on-demand suspensions

Abstract

Included is a method for an interactive media services system to provide a screen saver utility to a user through an interactive media services client device. The client device may be coupled to a programmable media services server device. The method may include the steps of providing a system operator with an interface to the programmable media services server; and providing control options within the interface to allow the system operator to dictate media to be presented in the screen saver utility, a plurality of parameters that result in activation of the screen saver utility, and a procedure to be followed in exiting the screen saver utility.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a divisional of Application Ser. No. 09 / 590,434, filed June 9, 2000, which claims priority to Provisional Application No. 60 / 138,756 filed Jun. 11, 1999, both of which are entirely incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates in general to television systems, and more particularly, to the field of media-on-demand. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Historically, television services have been comprised of analog broadcast audio and video signals. Cable television systems now receive broadcasts and retransmit them with other programming to users over land-line networks, typically comprising fiber optic cable and / or coaxial cable. With the recent advent of digital transmission technology, cable television systems are now capable of providing much more than the traditional analog broadcast video. In addition, two-way and advanced one-way communications between a subscriber and a ca...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The present disclosure includes embodiments of a method for an interactive media services system. One embodiment of the method can provide a screen saver utility to a user through an interactive media services client device, said client device coupled to a programmable media services server device. Additionally, the method includes the steps of: providing a system operator with an interface to the programmable media services server and providing control options within the interface to allow said system operator to dictate media to be presented in the screen saver utility, a plurality of parameters that result in activation of the screen saver utility, and a procedure to be followed in exiting the screen saver utility.

Problems solved by technology

The service is not usable if the user is besieged with choices with no effective method for navigating and selecting a desired choice.

For example, navigating a library of thousands of movie titles in a scrolling list alphabetically is very cumbersome.

A problem exists in providing a method to efficiently configure promotional information within the user interface provided to a user.

A problem exists in providing a user promotional information to entice rental or purchase the media assets.

An additional problem exists in including advertisements in media guide browsers where the advertisements are not located at the cable television providers' transmitting location, but rather external thereto.

A problem exists in configuring the media guides to enable third parties to seemlessly integrate advertisements without constant intervention and reconfiguration by the cable television provider.

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